Harris + Hoole = A Hoodwink?

13 June 2013

Given the choice I’d rather have a shop where I could buy a gallon of paraffin, a box of chisels and a bucket of whitewash but it is not to be. Despite being told otherwise St Margarets is about to get itself another coffee house. How many does that make it so far? 10?

The old Superdrug store, once tastefully wrapped up in brown paper, is about to become a trendy watering hole called ‘Harris and Hoole’ serving what the owners describe as… “fantastic tasting, professionally crafted, speciality grade, directly sourced coffee” to ‘happy people’! Unfortunately some of the people in St Margarets are not happy at all.

The name, ‘Harris and Hoole’ and their promotion style suggest that it is an independent venture run by a couple of well meaning hippies inspired by a particularly pleasant weekend in Paris but this is far from the case. Although its website states that Harris and Hoole is a family affair originally set up by Australian siblings Nick, Andrew and Laura Tolley it is in fact an expanding chain that is 49% owned by Tesco… and despite being non-controlling minority owners Tesco has some ambitious plans.

“We’ve always been upfront about our investment in Harris + Hoole, and so have Harris + Hoole. We like backing great brands, helping them to grow and to realise their potential. We’ve done it with suppliers for years. Great ideas can find it hard to get backing these days, so we’re pleased to be in a position to help entrepreneurs achieve their vision.”

PHILIPCLARK (Tesco Chief Executive) – Jan 8th 2013

And part of that vision is to install Harris and Hoole coffee shops in Tesco stores…

“When the Tolleys are ready, we will put them into some of our stores. They will have proved that their brand and their offer work, that customers like it and it will be another reason for customers to shop with us.”

PHILIPCLARK (Tesco Chief Executive) – Jan 8th 2013

(By the way – what is the name of that busy ‘Express’ store virtually next door to the old Superdrug site – and sharing a common dividing wall to the rear?)

Despite Philip Clark’s claim that customers like the Tesco/Harris and Hoole arrangement, on the 2nd January 2013 the Guardian reported otherwise…

“I like to try independent shops, and it was really very nice with great coffee. But when I got home, I looked it up and discovered it was a chain.”

BRIDGETCHAPPELL

“I avoid Starbucks because it’s a big chain and it avoids tax…Now I find this is Tesco … It looks like a small indie. It is disingenuous. It makes me upset. I feel duped.”

CAROLLEVINE

“I don’t really like Tesco. I don’t shop in Tesco. Now I’m in one of them. They’ll probably be on every high street soon. I would avoid it, like I avoid Starbucks and Costa, which I thought I was doing today – putting money back in the community.”

KATYSMITH

Harris and Hoole deny that they are trying to hide their close association with Tesco. After some searching you can find the following on their website…

“To be able to provide the high street with fantastic coffee takes investment and backing, and few people know the high street better than Tesco – who have made a non-controlling investment in the new business to allow the Tolleys to realise their dream.”

HARRISANDHOOLE Website

A recent article in the Daily Mail supports the association…

“This is a family business who have had the good fortune to be financially backed by a very large company. The founder states that Tesco are a financial backer with no control over the running of the business, so why you feel the need to describe the coffee as a Tesco product I have no idea.”

Nick Tolley, one of the founding executives of the chain, goes further. He says that Harris and Hoole are “trying to create a shop that’s local to the community”. He adds that localism is so important that one of store managers’ key performance indicators used to determine the level of bonus payments would be based on the “extent to which they are part of the community”. He said: “The intention is to have the values of an independent, and behave like an independent.”

THEGUARDIAN Jan 2nd 2013

We shall see. As for me I’m off to find a box of chisels… independently.

The name, Harris and Hoole, was conceived by branding company ‘SomeOne’. They borrowed the idea from two friends of Samuel Pepys – the actor and engraver, Henry Harris and William Hoole who Pepys first met at Magdalene College, Oxford. They are both briefly mentioned in Pepy’s Diary…

“Feb. 3rd, 1664. In Covent Garden to-night, going to fetch home my wife, I stopped at the great Coffee-house there, where I never was before: Where Dryden the poet (I knew at Cambridge), and all the wits of the town, and Harris the player, and Mr Hoole of our College. And had I had time then, or could at other times, it will be good coming thither, for there, I perceive, is very witty and pleasant discourse. But I could not tarry, and as it was late, they were all ready to go away.”

Comments

Up to a point, Tesco is upfront about Harris & Hoole: somebody had helpfully added in chalk "this is Tesco" to the banner ads wrapping the window - as I came past tonight all trace of this had been carefully washed off

maev kennedy on 2013-06-13 22:38:27 +0000

I really can see no need for yet another coffee shop in St Margarets. It would have been nice if the locals had been consulted more about this..........after all we are apparently living in times where "localism" is at the top of the agenda. I would like to see the "real" local independant coffee shops thrive and not lose out at the expense of yet another big chain. I shall not be going in there I am afraid

christine turner on 2013-06-13 22:52:18 +0000

Seriously? You have a problem with an empty shop space being taken over by a new business? Or is it the coffee you have an issue with? After all, there's nothing worse than an espresso-head trying to find his next fix...

Admittedly I know nothing about the processes that went into pitching for the space once Superdrug vacated it. If there were any fantastic, creative, wonderful, local businesses that were pushed out at the expense of this company, then yes - I might feel like I have a stronger opinion on this.

As it is, there's gonna be a new coffee shop that I may or may not use... not bothered.

Tesco next door (whether linked to the new "evil" coffee shop or not) is open till 11pm every night, it's convinient. I use it a lot - as I'm sure most of the St Margarets residents do. Looking at the queues when I go in I figure it's pretty popular. Of course I'd much rather it was a Waitrose, but hey - we all have to slum it sometimes huh? ;)

Moor Mead on 2013-06-13 23:04:18 +0000

Innocent is part owned by Coke. Pret is part owned by McDonalds. Costa is owned by a pub/hotel company.

Why does it matter?

If the product is good - buy it, if not don't and they'll soon move on.

Get over yourselves. And give new businesses (whatever their heritage) a chance.

Robin on 2013-06-13 23:58:10 +0000

The coffee is, allegedly, good. An empty shop is to be filled at a time when national retail occupancy rates are plummeting. Business rates will be paid. Two entrepreneurs have minority backing from a major retailer in whom ALL your pension funds are invested. None of you took the initiative and opened a paraffin and chisel shop. Like the man said, get over yourself. If you don't like it, boycott it. I recall there was a lot of talk of boycotting Tesco when the previous independent(ish) overpriced under stocked poor quality food retailer was replaced. I wonder how that boycott worked out? I think the expression is FirstWorldProblems!

David on 2013-06-14 05:10:03 +0000

What a load of nonsense. H&H / Tesco are free to open wherever they want. If you don't like it, simply don't buy a coffee there. If enough people decide the same it wont be profitable and will close. Personally, I quite like the Twickenham one so will give it a go. I'll still buy coffee from the other shops as I do now, it just gives another option. Also, please get facts straight in an article. H&H have stated Tesco control a lot less than 49%.

Ian on 2013-06-14 06:54:10 +0000

In the Twickenham H&H the coffee is good, the service is polite and attentive and I was'nt charged £3.50 for a child's hot chocolate, as I was at Brulas pantry (I got a refund and I'm not going there again)Good luck to H&H maybe they can show St Margarets 'Independants' how to look after customers properly. Time to up there game.. (that's not inculding Zoran, the only truly consistent coffee shop owner in st mags)

A fresh fish shop would be nice, when the next one closes...

Mrs B on 2013-06-14 07:37:53 +0000

If H&H had won backing in the dragons den their opening would be celebrated! Every business venture needs backers , H & H just used our money spent next door instead of Peter Jones's.

As for the 'wake up St Margarets' Graffiti...We don't sleep, we drink too much coffee...!

Mrs B on 2013-06-14 08:02:49 +0000

Well thank you for letting us know so now we can make an informed choice.

Last Sunday was the Crown Road summer event contributed to by the council, RFU and the local traders amongst others. If you want this sort of thing in St Margarets you need local traders supporting the local community. Not sure what Tesco contributed...

Yes we use Tesco but if I can buy the same thing locally I do. It's a choice but if you leave it all to market forces multinational companies have much deeper pockets...

Ann Murray on 2013-06-14 09:54:37 +0000

One 'local independant trader' put their coffee prices up for the Christmas fair!...more money making than community, I thinks...

Mrs B on 2013-06-14 10:30:22 +0000

So thank goodness commenters such as David, Mrs B, Ms A, Moormead and more to come no doubt have added balance to a biased article!! The St Margs Tesco is v handy and I would be happy to see it a tad bigger. HH coffee is good and they are smart enough to get serious backing. And all British! I hope it is a success - better than a boarded premise too!!

Dave on 2013-06-14 12:15:08 +0000

Martyn, I could perhaps take you a bit more seriously if you weren't so disingenuous yourself. I refer of course to this rather sensationalist line "it is in fact an expanding chain that is 49% owned by Tesco". The Tolleys and Tesco have only ever said that Tesco holds a minority stake, which the Guardian took liberty to change to "Up to 49%". Note the "Up to" which you've conveniently dropped. However, they've also stated that Tesco is not the single largest shareholder (www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/9797724/Sunday-interview-Nick-Tolley-chief-excecutive-of-Harris-Hoole.html). Now given that each sibling is likely to have a decent stake in the business, they likely have other investors too and Tesco is a minority shareholder and not the largest, it is impossible for them to have a 49% stake. It's probably at the most 25% and I doubt it is even that high.

I'm all for supporting local businesses though and will continue to do so as long as they continue to offer friendly local service for good quality/value (Grounded will have to up their game though to deliver consistently good coffee).

Mr D on 2013-06-14 12:32:50 +0000

I don't drink coffee, but If I did it wouldn't been in an oversized H&H. I'd rather an empty shop than Tesco expanding, wait for the knock through in years to come. Goodbye independent traders! Let the big boys make all the bucks, they need it to top up their over filled bank accounts and turn every other high street into a clone. How many more empty shops will be created by people choosing to drink their coffee in there. Support the local traders!

Phil Kinrade on 2013-06-14 12:35:37 +0000

I'm glad the shop has been taken as it was becoming an eyesore, but it seems rather a large shop just to sell a cup of coffee, what we needed was them to share it with a hairdressers & estate agents, after all, we are short of all 3 in "The Village" just how much coffee can the villagers take !!!

I, like Martin, would have liked a chisel, paraffin & whitewash outlet.

alsie42 on 2013-06-14 13:02:11 +0000

The reality is a large chain, whether owned by Tesco or not can afford to undercut an independent. They buy in bulk and so drive the prices down and put the little guy out of business. We are very lucky to live in an area where we do have some unusual shops. Please let's avoid St Margarets becoming homogenised. Support our local businesses.

Maria Walker on 2013-06-14 20:03:36 +0000

I don't care if this shop is Tesco owned, I'm just miffed that St. Margaret's now has yet another coffee shop rather than a useful outlet to offer goods and services. Why does our village need yet another coffee shop amongst the myriad of cafes; five plus a sixth to come in the space of 500 metres? Let's not forget the coffee shop in the train station... Come on.

Elle Sandes on 2013-06-14 21:44:37 +0000

Harris + Hoole they kid with a name like that?

Do we want St Margarets to have the bland look of Richmond? No we don't! Can't wait to go in and order paraffin with whitewash and a swirl of chisels.

Ben Driver on 2013-06-14 22:50:21 +0000

Well thank you Martyn for bringing this up - I was wondering if anyone cared and clearly we do.

Of course I use Tesco Express, depressing and badly run as it is. Of course it's depressing this space is not being used as a gym or a bank or a fish monger or a nursery, but presumably this was a deal between 2 chain retailers and why would they care what we think?

I will continue to support local businesses whenever I can and I don't care if H & H's coffee is good. Why do we have to subscribe to Tesco's hamfisted attempts to soften its High St image after they have done their best to homogenize it, they've recently bought Giraffe.

One of the Dave's (above) has said he'd like to see Tesco's a 'Tad' bigger. Well he's about to get his wish. The rear area presently being used as their storage area is going to be converted for extra shop usage, and their storage will be elsewhere in Phelps House. Whether their new arrangements will increase or decrease the number of deliveries they receive each day, remains to be seen. However I suspect that the increase in the store size will alter the customer demographic especially at the weekends and evenings to include more people arriving by car to do a weekly shop. So possibly even more local traffic and parking congestion could be the next hot St Margarets topic. In passing if I were the management team of Gymboree and wanted to remain where I was, I would be looking ahead to when my lease in Phelps House was next due for renewal as I suspect one of their near neighbours might be very interested in acquiring their site. For those who don't know, the new owners of the site will shortly be building/converting part of the upper floors into some luxury (?) apartments. Obviously as a close neighbour of Phelps House I have a vested interest in what's happening.

Harry Jacobs on 2013-06-16 09:51:16 +0000

Footnote to my post above. I see that for our 'convenience' as from today (Monday 17th) you can shop in Tesco's from 6am, 7 days a week.

Harry Jacobs on 2013-06-17 21:34:41 +0000

How many other businesses in St.Margarets are registered in Ireland to avoid paying UK corporation tax. Must be a thing with coffee shops. Google it to find out :)

Phil Kinrade on 2013-06-18 08:22:19 +0000

Harry: I really can't imagine anyone coming by car to St Margarets to do a weekly Tesco shop in such a poorly-stocked store when, for 5 minutes extra drive, they could shop in the Tesco hypermarket at Mogden Lane. This sounds like the same scaremongering that predicted Sodom and Gomorrah when the (late) Parvinu opened; of course it was strictly regulated under planning and nothing untoward happened at all.

Dave is now 63: why is Tesco buying Giraffe in any way 'homogenising' the High Street?

David on 2013-06-25 16:18:02 +0000

Sorry St Stephen if you took my first comment to be scaremongering as it was partially a statement of fact (ie the store is going to be enlarged with a greater selection of produce), and my personal opinion that it might well attract the more car bound shopper irrespective of the relative proximity of two large Tesco stores. I'll be more than delighted when experience proves you right.

Harry Jacobs Broadway Avenue

Harry Jacobs on 2013-07-18 16:24:51 +0000

What a waste of money this place is! If their idea of "artisan" is the latte I was served was more revolting. Worst cup of coffee I have ever tasted.

Disgusted! on 2013-08-15 07:13:07 +0000

Now I do like a good cup of coffee and was a bit 'ish' when it was announced that a H+H was opening because of the Tesco tie in. I've given them two whirls.... one to see what their coffee was like... too bitter in this case and the other to get some of their coffee beans, too old. So I won't be returning and continue to order my coffee from the Ouseburn Coffee Co, Monmouth Coffee & HR Higgins instead then make my own at home.... much better, and a darned sight cheaper.